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Abstract:

A lid 1 that is adapted to cover a food processor bowl 2 has a flexible
sealing ring assembly 3 that is mounted to a lower surface of the lid 1,
along the perimeter. The sealing assembly 3 includes resilient springs 4
that compress and relax in order to provide a downwardly biased force
between the sealing assembly 3 and the upper rim 5 of a bowl 2 to which
the lid 1 is mounted.

Claims:

1. A food processor bowl cover sealing assembly that enables a single lid
to functionally cover a plurality of food processor bowls of varying
sizes when used either alone or used simultaneously in nested fashion,
said assembly comprising a lid adapted to cover a food processor bowl; a
flexible sealing ring that is mounted to a lower surface of the lid,
along the perimeter and said lid; and a plurality of resilient springs
mounted between said ring and said lid that compress when said lid is
closed over a bowl in order to provide a downwardly biased force between
the sealing ring and the upper lip of the bowl to which the lid is
mounted.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said sealing ring is made of
an elastomer and is configured of an inner diameter and an outer diameter
that enable the ring to contact the upper edge of the rim or rims of one
or a plurality of food processor bowls of varying diameter, each in a
sealing manner.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein said sealing ring is made of
silicone.

4. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein said sealing ring has a
plurality of wiper edges for resiliently engaging the upper surface of a
rim of a bowl.

5. An assembly according to claim 2, further comprising a rigid dynamic
ring; a groove in a lower surface of said rigid dynamic ring in which the
sealing ring is received.

6. An assembly according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of
either bosses or grooves for the purpose of securing and locating the
springs with respect to the rigid dynamic ring such that the springs are
compressed between said rigid dynamic ring and said lid.

7. An assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of
either bosses or grooves on the lower side of said lid for the purpose of
securing and locating said springs with respect to said lid.

8. An assembly according to claim 5 further comprising a stationary ring
attached to the lower surface of said lid and sized with an outside
diameter that is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the rigid
dynamic ring; an outer circumferential surface of the stationary ring
that is in sliding contact with the inner circumferential surface of said
rigid dynamic ring, in a manner in which relative movement between the
two is facilitated when the rigid dynamic ring moves up and down
compressing and decompressing said springs.

9. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein either or both surfaces of
said stationary ring and said dynamic ring may be flexible or
semi-flexible to permit sliding contact while maintaining a seal
therebetween.

10. An assembly according to claim 8, further comprising a retention ring
for attaching said stationary ring 8 to said lid.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application relates to and claims priority from United States
Provisional Application 61/243799.

[0003] Countertop food processor appliances generally comprise a base, a
motor housed in the base, a bowl mounted on the base for receiving food
product to be mixed or chopped, a blade rotationally driven by the motor
and positioned in the bowl for rotation therein, and a cover or lid for
the bowl. An electrical cord extends from the base and is adapted to be
plugged into an external electrical source such as a wall socket to
deliver electrical energy to the motor.

[0004] Countertop food processors typically include a lid that must be
locked into place on the bowl in order to activate a switch enabling
operation of the motor. This is a safety precaution, though certain sizes
and configurations of food processor are inherently safe without such
locking a switching arrangement. Another reason lit is desirable to lock
lids to food processor bowls is to store and protect food contents inside
a bowl without the possibility of the lid falling off or opening. Because
of the rigid nature and fixed size of food processor bowls and, if
applicable, the locking and switching mechanisms that are part of such
bowls, it is necessary for each bowl to have its own lid in order to
achieve a secure locking fit. It would be convenient and efficient,
however, to provide a single lid that functionally covers more than one
size bowl, particularly a plurality of bowls that are nested during use
with a food processors.

OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a food
processor bowl cover sealing assembly that enables a single lid to
functionally cover more than one size bowl, particularly a plurality of
bowls that are nested during use with a food processors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] According to the present invention, a lid adapted to cover a food
processor bowl has a flexible sealing ring that is mounted to a lower
surface of the lid, along the perimeter, and mounted thereto by resilient
springs that compress and relax in order to provide a downwardly biased
force between the sealing ring and the upper lip of a bowl to which the
lid is mounted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0008] Referring to FIGS. 1, a lid 1 that is adapted to cover a food
processor bowl 2 has a flexible sealing ring assembly 3 that is mounted
to a lower surface of the lid 1, along the perimeter. The sealing
assembly 3 includes resilient springs 4 that compress and relax in order
to provide a downwardly biased force between the sealing assembly 3 and
the upper rim 5 of a bowl 2 to which the lid 1 is mounted. A resilient
sealing ring 6, which may be made of silicone rubber or a suitable
elastomer, is configured of an inner diameter and an outer diameter that
enable the ring 6 to contact the upper edge of the rim 5 or rims of one
or a plurality of food processor bowls 2 in a sealing manner. In
cross-section the ring 6 may have one or more wiper edges for resiliently
engaging the upper surface of the rim 5.

[0009] The sealing ring 6 is in contact with the lower surface of a rigid
dynamic ring 7. The seating ring's lower surface may include a groove in
which the sealing ring 6 is received. The upper surface of the dynamic
ring 7 is adapted to contact a plurality of resilient springs 4 that are
spaced along the dynamic ring 7. The upper surface of the dynamic ring 7
may have bosses and/or grooves for the purpose of securing or locating
the springs 4 with respect to the dynamic ring 7. The other side of each
of the springs 4 contacts the lower surface of the lid 1. The lid 1 may
be provided with bosses and/or grooves for the purpose of securing or
locating the springs 4 with respect to the lid 1. This enables the
dynamic ring 7 to transmit force between the lid 1 and the sealing ring 6
in order to press the sealing ring 6 into sealing contact with the rim 5
of the bowl 2 when the lid is installed.

[0010] A stationary ring 8 is attached to the lower surface of the lid 1
and is sized with an outside diameter that is slightly smaller than the
inside diameter of the dynamic ring 7. The outer circumferential surface
of the stationary ring 8 is in sliding contact with the inner
circumferential surface of the dynamic ring 7, in a manner in which
relative movement between the two is facilitated when the dynamic ring 7
moves up and down compressing and decompressing the springs 4. Either or
both surfaces of the stationary ring 8 and the dynamic ring 7 may be
flexible or semi-flexible to permit sliding contact while maintaining a
seal therebetween. The stationary ring 8 is attached to the lid 1 by a
retention ring 9 that is configured and sized to lock the stationary ring
8 relative to contours on the lower surface of the lid 1.

[0011] Because the dynamic ring 7 and sealing ring 6 are adapted to move
vertically with respect to the lid 1, the lid 1 can be fitted, in sealing
engagement, over one or more bowls/ The bowls can be nested, or used
separately, since the range of movement of the rings 6 and 7 facilitated
by the design accommodates the variation in height, and the springs 4
provide sealing engagement of the sealing ring 6 to the bowl rims.

[0012] While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been
disclosed herein, it is understood that various modification can be made
without departing from the scope of the presently claimed invention.

Patent applications by Charles Z. Krasznai, Bridgeport, CT US

Patent applications by Joseph J. Laskowski, Derby, CT US

Patent applications in class With means to protect operator from injury

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